Kate Moss back in Vogue, lands Virgin deal

December 9, 2005

LONDON (Reuters) – British supermodel Kate Moss underlined
her durability in the notoriously fickle world of fashion on
Friday with a commercial for phone operator Virgin, just three
months after a cocaine scandal threatened her career.

The 31-year-old was dropped by several fashion houses after
pictures allegedly showing her snorting cocaine appeared in a
tabloid in September, but since leaving a drug rehabilitation
clinic the following month she has launched a comeback.

“Kate Moss is an icon,” said James Kydd, brand director of
Virgin Mobile.

“We are thrilled that she has agreed to appear in our
latest commercial,” he said in a statement, which added that
the advertisement will feature Moss poking fun at her own
public image.

The advertisement, which first appears on British
television on Christmas Eve, includes a rare speaking role for
Moss, who has adorned countless fashion magazine covers in her
17-year career as a model.

Moss, who has a 3-year-old daughter, has also just appeared
on the cover of French Vogue, one of fashion’s most prestigious
publications, with the title “Scandalous Beauty.”

She was made guest editor-in-chief for the latest issue, a
decision that was made in the summer but which the magazine
honored despite the scandal. It is issuing four different
covers of the December publication, all of them featuring Moss.

Moss, whose gaunt features ushered in the “heroin chic”
fashion style of the 1990s, did not admit to the cocaine
allegations made against her, but did issue a short statement
after the scandal broke apologizing to people she let down.

The allegations prompted British luxury fashion house
Burberry and Swedish-based fashion retailer Hennes and Mauritz
to sever ties with one of the most famous faces in fashion,
raising doubts over whether she could continue a successful
modeling career.

France’s Chanel also said they would not renew their
contract with her when they expired.

(Reporting by Mike Collett-White in London and Caroline
Brothers in Paris)